I’m Just NOT Outdoorsy

I’m not outdoorsy.

I’m not. (Lord knows I’ve tried.)

I wish I was, but I’ve come to the realization in my 33rd year on earth that it’s just not me. I don’t love to camp. I don’t love to hike. I don’t love to fish. I just don’t LOVE doing those types of things.

Now – as full disclosure – I will do those things because I have been blessed with 4 beautiful sons who love to do all of those things (and more), and I accept that my life will not be girl weekends with my daughters getting manicures and pedicures poolside. I’m totally fine with that, I swear.

I like to watch... 🙂

And every time I think I’m leaning more and more towards the outdoorsy girl (I know my husband wishes I was – wink wink), like a slap in the face, something happens and I quickly see (yet again) why I’m not.

Last weekend we went to North Conway, New Hampshire. I’ve been to North Conway dozens and dozens of time in my life — in the winter. I’ve ALWAYS loved North Conway, it’s the picture perfect New England town that’s gorgeous and small and just beautiful. So when one of my good friend’s invited us to rent a house in North Conway for the weekend of June 17th, I jumped at the chance! Storyland during the summer. Mount Washington without snow. Lakes without ice. And Mount Cranmore without layers and layers and layers of clothes. Oh, yes… heaven.

Enter the weekend of June 17th. 🙂

I should have known the weekend would be more of an outdoorsy adventure when my friend Jen texted me that she found a dead bat in the tub. A dead. bat. Damn. I didn’t see that coming… yet, I prevailed. I got the kids packed. I got myself packed. I made sure my husband, the beach bag and the sleeping bags were packed. Even though a part of me was scared about there being more dead bats, I still got everyone in the car and thought, “This will be an adventure that the boys will LOVE!”

When we got to New Hampshire (which is a quick 3 1/2 drive), we pulled up to the house we’d call home for the next 3 nights and it looked VERY cool. Chateau style house, set on a lake in the woods. Definitely a picture-perfect photo pulling up… “OK, not so bad.” I was more excited to spend the weekend with my friends than anything, so really – just give me a mattress to sleep on (oh, how I wish I was really that cool).
My friends Jen and Jamie were already there with their families… my sons loved the fact that they instantly had 5 more kids to play with, and viola! Our weekend began! Jen told me that we were staying on the lower level because that’s where there were most beds, so I brought everything downstairs with Matt. As I was popping the bags down I saw 2 spiders (big ones) run across the floor. Matt (God bless him) is as relaxed as a cucumber, he is that cool I’ll-sleep-anywhere guy, I just am not. I started to panic a little, but just figured… you know what, we’ll all sleep in the other room together (because after all, there shouldn’t be any other spiders anywhere, right?).

The night was fine… all 6 of us piled into 3 twin size beds, I tripled up with Ben and Henry… Alex and William slept together and Matt had the other bed. OK, made it through the first night. We headed off to Mt Cranmore the next day, which was amazing!! The outdoor activities ROCKED!! My sons had a blast trying everything out. We decided to head to the top of the mountain because it was open and everyone there said it was amazing views from the top… so up the chairlift we went… to the top.

I first started to notice these little black annoying bugs when we were reaching the end of the chairlift. I kept trying to scoot them away from my head. As we got closer and closer to the top, they were becoming more and more fierce (there’s no other word). They were attacking all of us. But for some reason, my sons didn’t seem to mind, they were laughing and joking and running around having fun (along with Matt). I was not. The bugs were killing me, but I tried to roll with it… lets take the photos, walk around real quick and get to the bottom. Problem was, the boys didn’t want to head to the bottom, they thought it was cool up top.

I was being attacked by bugs here, nobody else was.

Oh, man… after about 20 minutes, I couldn’t take it, I made everyone head down. As we got to the car after the top of the mountain, I realized I had a tick crawling up my leg. A freaking TICK! I’m not good with flies, never mind a freaking tick. I made Matt pull over and we searched the kids from head to toe, and myself and Matt. Thankfully there weren’t anymore present. Everyone else had headed to a nearby lake to swim, so we drove off to meet the rest of the crew. Everyone went in the water, and it wasn’t until I realized Henry was bleeding from his eye, that I realized the boys had bite marks all over them. What the — ??
They weren’t mosquito bites, they were little red dots. I swear to God, I thought there were leaches in the water or something. As we drove back to the house from the lake, I told Matt… “I don’t know if I can do this much more, I’m NOT good with this stuff.” Not to mention, there were mosquitos everywhere, and I am like a magnet for them. All the bug spray in the world won’t keep them away from me.

And so, this is why Matt and I are so compatible. As I was freaking out and feeling like I was itching from head to toe, he was as cool as can be. He reassured me everything was fine, the boys were having fun and to relax. So I tried.

I don’t know if I succeeded. My friend Jen is a rockstar with the outdoorsy stuff, I truly envy her. Matt and her husband took the kids frog hunting Saturday night outside and they all just had the best time ever, I was inside spraying bug spray all over myself trying to will and wish the bugs away from me.

Off they go!

I wish I had it in me to be more outdoorsy… I just fail miserably at it. So miserably. But, I tried. I did try very hard, and even with a smile.

As we were driving Matt smiled and told me that next time the boys and he go camping, he’s dropping me off at a hotel.

And you know what, I’m totally, perfectly cool with that.

About Audrey

Audrey McClelland has been a digital influencer since 2005. She’s a mom of 5 and shares tips on her three favorite things: parenting, fashion and beauty. She’s also a Contemporary Romance Author.

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7 Comments

  1. 6.26.11
    Lisa said:

    I can def relate to this. I am not the outdoorsy type either. I don’t like the feeling of grass on my feet or bugs on me. Nope, not for me. LOL

  2. 6.26.11
    Cheryl P said:

    Pitch me a tent inside the 4 Seasons hotel and I’ll call that camping. Bugs, ticks, hiking and outhouses…tried that in Girl Scouts many, many years ago and that ended my desire to be an outdoor girl. Does my love for the beach count as “outdoorsy”?

  3. 6.26.11

    That is too funny!! I am the same way.

    I had to go camping a few months ago because my husband couldn’t at the last minute. I might have shed a tear or two that weekend but I did live to tell the story. 🙂

  4. 6.26.11

    You just have to be you! I’m a firm believer in sticking to your own unique design and not beating yourself up for it. Way to give it a try but in the end you acknowledged that it’s still just not for you and I love that

  5. 6.26.11
    lizzy said:

    who doesn’t love room service……but the kids are going to remember mom on this trip and smile

  6. 6.26.11
    Tom Ewer said:

    Not everyone was born for the outdoors – it’s nothing to be ashamed of!

  7. 6.27.11

    Girl. I am right there with ya. I try so hard. But… Yeah. NO. Not me. (And I’m a mosquito magnet too. What is UP with that!?)

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